
The San Pakoy Market
The San Pakoy area is an area situated opposite to Wat Gate area and with Charoen Mueang road in the middle. Before the arrival of the railway to Chiang Mai this area was only a small community. The first community to settle here was the Ban Thasatoy community at the back of the present San Pakoy market. This market features in our Chiang Mai markets tour.

The important center of this area was Kad San Pakoy (San Pakoy market). There are no documents of when this market was established. However, it is believed that it might have been before 1926 because when King Rama VII visited Chiang Mai, the market already existed. There is evidence showing that there was a joint investment between Pra Pijitosod, Khun Anupolnakorn and Major General Anirutteawa (ML Feun Puengboon). Nowadays the San Pakoy market is well-known for delicious food, especially Chinese. There are shops on both sides of Charoen Mueang road. The famous Salapao Wikul (Chinese steamed bun) and Charoen Mueang restaurant can also be found here.
The center for Buddhists in this area is the San Pakoy temple. It is situated at the side of San Pakoy market. Originally, its name was Wat Nang Leo and was located on the Ping river bank. After the temple was flooded it was moved to the present site. It was renamed Wat San Pakoy. There is evidence showing that the chedi in this temple was built in the era of Prachao Kawirolot Suriyawong and the ceremony for the chedi was in 1868. From the survey of this temple it was found that the present viharn was completed on 14 March, 1929.
Though this area has a separate Chinese temple for Chinese merchants it is understood that this temple is also the center for Chinese Buddhists in the area. The San Pakoy area met its decline when the road between Bangkok and Chiang Mai was completed. Road transportation replaced the railway because it was faster and because the train ran only two days a week. Furthermore, having cars meant that people could go directly to the production sites without having to go through the middlemen at San Pakoy market anymore.